Belarus expects good cereals harvest this year

This year’s harvest of cereal crops in Belarus is expected to be as large as last year’s, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko was told during his working trip to Mogilev Oblast on 8 July.

“The Academy of Sciences has calculated that the volume of cereals in storage will be roughly equal to last year’s,” said Vice Premier Mikhail Rusyi.

Agriculture and Food Minister Leonid Zayats explained that due to the protracted winter the yield of winter crops will be lower than expected in some areas, but the spring crops are rather good. So in general the volume of crop harvest this season should amount to the level of last year.

“So you will get 9 million tonnes including corn?” asked Alexander Lukashenko. Leonid Zayats confirmed that this level ought to be reached.

The President gave several instructions regarding the timely and quality harvesting of rapeseed. This year’s yield of rapeseed is expected to considerably exceed last year’s.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture of Belarus, agrarians of four regions of the country already have started harvesting of winter rape - in the fields of Brest, Gomel, Grodno and Minsk regions.